John C. Ratliff:I have had my tanks mounted low, for two reasons:
1. I use double hose regulators a lot, and the lower position improves their performance.
2. When the tank is lower, it is better for surface snorkeling with the scuba unit on. If it is mounted higher, then the diver's head is pushed underwater by the weight of the tank. Many compensate for this by inflating their BC, but I would rather not be BC dependent for maintaining my head in an optimum snorkeling position (and yes, I do wear a snorkel when scuba diving, and use it about every dive).
I started diving when there were no alternatives so far as BCs go to maintaining position on the surface. I also have made some pretty spactacular entries into the water; as a USAF Pararescueman, we would make parascuba jumps from 1250 feet in the air, and we did not want the scuba unit high enough to hit our heads during our exit of an aircraft. This carries over to my diving today (many years later) when I don't want to be banging my head against the tank during an entry off rocks, for instance, into a river.
I would add that in my years of diving, since 1959, I have never had reason to access the scuba valve in an emergency situation. The DIR folks preach the need to be able to touch and shut off the valve during a dive, but realize that they are diving extreme environments (wreck and cave diving), where any kind of emergency can be life-threatening.
Also, I dive my own version of a BC, and in that kind of emergency, I would simply remove the scuba unit (my BC is not part of the scuba, as we did years ago, and look at the valve. Modern BCs, which are integral with the scuba, limit the ability of the diver to cope by removing their scuba, as the BC/weight system is on the scuba, and separating one's self from the scuba could initiate a positive ascent.
SeaRat
Wow John Greetings from another world (NAUI #4186), nice to see you are still diving and have learned the ways of the Computer.
Your post versus DA's is a great example where different equipment requires a different setup. What you do, would not work for most BC'd divers, but it works for you.
By the way, you still using the old US Diver, or have you gotten a "new" double hose?